observabilityd

observabilityd is a daemon that runs on nodes within a distributed system to collect and export telemetry data. Telemetry data encompasses metrics, logs, and traces, which are crucial for understanding the internal state and behavior of complex applications and infrastructure. The primary purpose of observabilityd is to provide a unified and consistent way to gather this data, regardless of the underlying services or technologies.

This daemon typically acts as an agent, running alongside applications or on the host operating system. It is configured to scrape or receive data from various sources. Metrics might be collected from system performance counters or application-specific endpoints. Logs are often ingested from standard output, files, or system logging facilities. Traces, which track requests as they flow through a distributed system, can be captured through instrumentation libraries or by intercepting network traffic.

Once collected, observabilityd processes and exports this telemetry data to backend systems. These backends are specialized platforms designed for storing, querying, and visualizing the data, enabling engineers to perform analysis, troubleshoot issues, and monitor system health. The daemon often supports various export protocols and formats, allowing integration with popular observability platforms like Prometheus, Grafana, Jaeger, or OpenTelemetry collectors. By centralizing data collection, observabilityd simplifies the operational overhead of instrumenting and monitoring distributed systems, promoting a more robust and observable environment.